Rosberg: Race wins, not records, the priority

Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg insists victory in this weekend’s Formula 1 Gran Premio de Espana Pirelli 2016 is his sole concern right now, despite being aware that he is rapidly closing in on the all-time record for successive race wins.

Only one man in history has won more Grands Prix in a row than the German, who has triumphed in the last seven races. That man is compatriot Sebastian Vettel, who scored nine consecutive victories with Red Bull back in 2013.

“I am aware of that fact, but I really do not think about that,” said Rosberg of the record. “My focus is not on anything like that at all - my focus is on winning races, as this is what I truly enjoy and it is a massive thrill as well.”

Seven victories in seven races has already put him level in the history books with another German, his former team mate Michael Schumacher, but Rosberg suggests that is where the comparison ends.

“It’s not that I do not enjoy these kind of statistics, and that I have equalled Michael, but I do not consider myself as being on the same level as Michael,” he said, “as this I would not even dream of reaching. Generally speaking this is not where the focus of any race driver is.”

Rosberg’s perfect record in 2016 means he is 43 points clear of team mate Lewis Hamilton at the top of the driver standings. Nevertheless, he maintains that pondering the future - and the title - is pointless right now.

“It would not be good for me to look seven months down the road,” he stated. “The best way for me to win in Barcelona is to think about Barcelona - and this is pretty much my aim: to win Barcelona.

“A race weekend requires 100 percent of one’s focus and capacity, so there is no space for looking into what might happen in the future.”

Rosberg won in Spain last year, and another victory this weekend would see him join Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen as the current grid’s only double winners of the Barcelona race.